Written by Sean Wright

Edited by SeleneStarr

Chapter Twenty

I

Sir Sheldon Hubbard, Royal Groundskeeper and Master Gardener stormed away from Artemis's office for the fifth time in two days without seeing the Lord Advisor/Endy wrangler again.

Sir Sheldon (Shelley to Artemis, Endymion's tattling little fucker) left the palace, going to the work site he had been forced to abandon when his king and his king's band of thugs ordered the groundskeeper's crew out of the walled garden or else. Else would have resulted in either loss of rank or death, depending on the young monarch's quicksilver moods and if he was carrying some sort of weapon.

So for the last day and half, Endy and one of his guardians roamed through the ruined garden for hours on end with no apparent goal other than to keep the Head Gardener and his crew from completing their job on the very strict deadline Artemis had set for them.

Endy's coronation was less than five days away. Since crews had been working around the clock repairing the palace and modernizing it since the day after Endy opened the gates, the restoration was now in its final stages. Furnishings were now in the palace, and most of Endymion's live-in staff had arrived from the school, including, much to everyone's delight, the new chef. They had even repaired the damage done to the palace and the palace grounds during Nephrenia's invasion. Now all the groundskeeper had to complete was the elaborate walled maze garden, which was to be the centerpiece of the fantastic gardens. But the King was refusing to allow anyone to enter and he was not saying why.

The groundkeeper had always managed to go around his king simply by going to Artemis and leaving it to the white-haired man to keep Endymion out of the way long enough for the grounds crew to do its job. But ever since the alien girls had left Terra, Artemis had been inaccessible to anyone not directly related to the intergalactic war, and that included Shelley.



Of course, those who knew nothing of Endymion's true assumed that the King was feeling nostalgic for the golden days of Terra's kingdom under Queen Gaia's rule. Those who knew something about his personality and generally bastardly ways, i.e. Queen Serenity and Hermes, did not believe such sentimental drivel, and it definitely did not explain Endy's prowling through the walled off gardens behind the Golden Palace. As it was, Endymion obviously up to something.

Considering the timing of Endy's trip down memory lane, his secretive nature and the location, whatever he was up to wasn't good. Be that as it may, Endymion was doing his bad deed right out in the open, not really caring one wit for what anyone thought or saw. Quiet frankly, who in their right mind was going to stop him?

Kris followed the sound of his brother's voice to another dead end and picked up on where their "discussion" had left off. "Endy, I think it is time you came clean with the Senshi," Kris said to his brother.

"And I should tell them what?" He was sure the entrance to his mother's garden was close, he could sense the faint presences of his relatives nearby, but damn if he could not get a lock on their location. "That I have been lying to from the moment we were introduced in Japan or that I have been hiding my power and that I've always known the truth about my heritage?"

Kris shook his head, "I think you should tell them that Lord Helios is alive."

That hedge did look familiar. Endy gave their present location a careful appraisal and then went to the left. "That's not going to happen, Kris, and you know that."

"You should have at least told Artemis."

"His loyalty is to Eros."

"He would have not betrayed you."

"You can't guarantee that. For the record, I have not done anything wrong by not telling our esteemed teacher about my father." The feeling was weaker now. He must have gotten turned around somewhere. "Damnit, were the hell is that entrance?"

"Maybe you should have asked Dirae for the location before she left for Pluto." Kris shrugged.



"She wouldn't have known where it is either. This place was as close to a personal temple as my mother had. She communed with the gods and the planet out here. Outsiders would have never been permitted onto that ground."

"Why didn't the Queen bring you here then?"

"There was no need for her to do so."

"But now there is?"

Endy stopped before a ruined statue of Atlas. His tone was sarcastic. "No, I'm just trying to find this place because I have nothing better to do with my time. Yes, there is need for me to find it. You of all people should know this." He looked at his brother skeptically. "What the hell is going on with you, Kris? You've never questioned me or my motives before."

"I'm going to be a father one day."

"So?" he shrugged. "We all are."

"Even though I am not Aine Sigrun's father yet, I still want to protect her--"

Endy bit back the sharp retort that was on the tip of his tongue. He understood what his brother meant. He sort of felt the same way about his kids from the future, but he wasn't about to go off and start sharing his entire life story with those damned Senshi because of it. To be an effective ruler, one had to be objective about one's duty to his nation and people and one's duties to his family. For monarch, family always came second to good of his nation. Artemis had been adamant about that in his lessons, and history supported this, or it did in Endymion's mind. The Senshi were not Endy's family, not as long as Hell was hot and Jamie had fleas, and he would never see them as such. It was only his own damnable luck that his four best friends were desperately (and pathetically so) in love with four of the wild-haired witches. But what his brother cared for did not necessarily mean that it was important to Endy. Therefore, Endy would tell them what he though they needed to know when he felt it was necessary.

"Kris, it would not serve any purpose to tell the Senshi or Queen Serenity about my father. As far as everyone involved is concerned, I am my father's legacy to this star system. I have given up my last 

vestiges of humanity as Elysium's guardian and taken on all the responsibility that entails. Believe me, Kris, we don't need my father."

"But…" Kris tried, but Endy cut him off.

"The time for doubts and worries has passed. We are on our final course with destiny. There is no looking back now. We must go forward."

Kris was still concerned. "That is easy for you to say, little brother. If all goes well, you will have the thing you desire most: the rule of the Universe."

Endy didn't even try to hide his smug look. "And to think I was didn't have to go to war with that moon bitch to achieve it." He laughed. "Thanks to Queen Serenity's traitorous companions' actions in the past and bit of help from myself, of course, I now have that witch's throne."

"This did play out just as Mike predicted," Kris said. "I still can't believe they actually handed you the Silver Alliance, without a referendum or protest."

"Why have a summit with delegates when you have the rulers themselves at your mercy." Endy grinned viciously. "The doubt concerning Queen Serenity's strength as a ruler was already there. We just helped them along." His hardened as he thought about the once proud and powerful monarch. "She alone is responsible for what happened to this system. As far as I am concerned, Queen Serenity is just as guilty if not more so than her Senshi for the Fall. And since I can't get my hands on those bastards, I am going to make sure their bitch queen pays with her worthless life."

And he meant it. Kris almost felt sorry for the queen. Endy was already angry with the Moon Queen because of the incidents that happened while she lived on Terra, but this thing with Aphrodite and the others just threw gas on the fire, and now it was a raging storm. Endy was being unreasonable, Kris knew that. The Moon had suffered along with Terra and the rest of Solar System because of her people's deception. She had lost not only her own life, but she had to watch her daughter and her friends die. However, Endy did not care. When Kris had tried that argument on his brother, Endy had said that she brought it down on herself with her gullibility.



Endy did not care what Queen Serenity had suffered in those final moments of her life. He refused to show any compassion for the dead monarchs;, in his mind they were assassins. And by that right, his taking over universe now had a more personal reason. Queen Serenity, Aphrodite, Princess Eris, King Hermes, the rulers of Jupiter, and Princess Kalypso of Neptune were all responsible of the death of Queen Gaia of Terra. For allowing this reckless plan to bring about Cosmos, they were all as guilty as Ananke for the destruction and senseless murder of his world. They had had killed his parents, twice, and for that, those living and their fallen companions of children were going to suffer his wrath.

Endy was going to force Queen Serenity out of power. Silver Millennium would be brought to heel. Never again would it rise to the exalted status it now bore; he was adamant about that. The next ruler of that moon would be of Terran blood. His bloodline would rule Silver Millennium, and it would never rise to power again.

"There is going to be a dynamic shift in the System very soon," Endy was saying. He was not talking about his rise to power in the universe. He was poking around the statue, searching for a trigger or something that would reveal the entrance to the garden.

"I take it that Dirae has made it to Pluto?"

He nodded. "The Accursed One has just by-passed Neptune. Styx is going to let Ananke get halfway to Uranus before she begins the rear assault."

"How far are Eros and the others from Saturn's proper?" Kris asked.

"They are on Ganymede. From there they will teleport to Saturn's moon, Mimas." His search turned up nothing but broken statue and loose stones. Endy straightened as he dusted his hand on his dark brown military trousers. "We are going to miss a terrific battle, my brother."

"Who is guarding that Outer Gate the Senshi are always worried about?"

Endy shook his head. "Don't know. Hell, I don't even know where the thing is."

"What is it then?"

"Your guess is as good as mine." Endy raised his eyes to sky, his vision expanded until he found them. "Styx has just unleashed her Senshi, and Uranus has just moved in on both flanks."



"Eros said she wanted to corral them."

"If they are right about Ananke, she's not going to waste time trying to fight them. She is going to run straight to Saturn."

"And right into Eros' trap." Kris grinned viciously.

In two days, they had lost five ships and a thousand drones, but the Accursed One was not concerned with the lost of her forces. They meant nothing to her except as decoys to draw the attention of the Sailor Warriors of Silver Millennium. Ananke had assured her that all was still well; they had only lost twenty percent of their forces, but all was well for them.

Cosmos lay imprisoned in a casket of dark crystals. Surrounded by negative energy, her primary focus would be on fighting the corruption as it tried to pierce her crystal heart. As for the girl, the reincarnation of her handmaiden's human host, she was not a threat to the incarnation of disorder. She was properly subdued by all that she had witnessed. The true power of the universe was here, and there would be no miracles to would save them now. This was their end. Chaos would cross over that boundary that separated her from Elysium and then she would take on the Gods.

"Lady Ananke." A young man with dark blue hair approached the former Senshi, "We have just entered Saturn's solar space."

"Thank you, Sapphire." She turned to the Accursed One and said, "My master, the time of your accession is at hand."

II



In a deep, secluded, steep-sided valley rimmed by high mountains to the north and a thick green forest to the south, a small but well-fortified obsidian castle stood, a lonely sentry in the center of the two protective natural barriers. It was accessible only by one well maintained black onyx road.

The castle was a facade for the subterranean complex that was the seat of that planet's kingdom and a gateway to the Underworld. It housed the administrative offices, the parliament, and the military complex. The normal citizens of the planet did not enter these secret chambers and facilities. Only those who served the Queen of Death were allowed access to the vast network that housed not only the offices of the government of the kingdom, but also held the realms that were guarded by their Queen. The Fates and their charge were kept here, as well as the books of Life and Death.

Above ground, in the dark castle, it was a hive of activity. Warriors moved about with drawn weapons, their eyes fixed to sky watching for the first sign of the enemy's approach. Deep in the halls of the castle, Senshi of all levels and strengths darted about, moving into position and awaiting orders. A concentration of black robed warriors stood before a set of large, unadorned doors. This was the first gateway to the underworld, and they would not let anyone pass. They even raised their weapons and prepared to attack as Sailor Leuce, a guardian of Death and Persephone's Chief of Staff and first-in-command, approached with her two companions.

The three women kept their distance from the defenders, knowing that the warriors had right to kill them if they ventured too close. The last thing any of them could afford was to be killed before the enemy arrived. At the end of the corridor two guards, dressed in the royal livery of the Queen, stood before an opulent oaken door. Leuce walked right through the doors and into a portal that lead to the military complex beneath the castle.

"Lady Leuce, and Senshi of Mars and Neptune," an Elemental Senshi announced from the entrance. Her generals rose to their feet and bowed to the two Alpha warriors and their commander as the Senshi took their places at the conference table. Leuce quickly brought the meeting to order before handing it over to the two Alpha Warriors.



The truth behind Ananke's deception had made its way through the higher ranks of the planetary guards and generals. They were treading on very dangerous ground by trusting the Plutonian once again. Bellona acknowledged that she had her reservations as well, since both she and Xanthe had been victims of Ananke.

They were willing to look beyond what they had suffered for the opportunity to eliminate the threat to their not just their planets, but to the old gods and Elysium by stopping Chaos here on Saturn.

The enemy would enter the castle.

There were cries of protest. Leuce agreed wholeheartedly with her generals, but it was not their place to question their leaders. Eros of Venus had declared that Saturn would be their enemies' burial ground. There would be no further advance of the Accursed One's forces. Saturn would be where they all made their final stands.

It was a risk, a deadly one, if Ananke were to gain entrance into lower regions of Titan Castle. If Ananke was successful in reaching the Moirai, Atropos stood at the ready. Again she sent another fevered prayer to Hades that they would not need Atropos. But should they fail…

No, she could not think this way. The System would be victorious. Cosmos would be saved and she would battle against her twisted counterpart and would vanquish her.

But Leuce still worried.

There was no going back now; the time for words had passed, and this was now the time for deeds.

They were ready.

Two days had passed since the Accursed One had returned to the Solar System. Since then, the Senshi had moved from Terra to the Saturn moon of Mimas. There, they expounded on Eros' idea of a "welcoming" Chaos to its death. Nike and Persephone, working with their commander, come up with a two-fold, multiple part attack that was worthy of their talents as commanders and generals. Athena Diana 

proved again that she was a brilliant tactician and devised a rescue mission for the Asteroid Senshi that would get them to their comrade and get them out of harm's way. Xanthe and Bellona, two of the best field commanders in Silver Millennium other than Artemis himself, were on Saturn. Bellona was the better defender, while Xanthe was best equipped for the field. Xanthe took Leuce's position with the dreaded Keres in the Gehenna Forest as they awaited Eros' signal to strike against the Accursed One's army. Apollo, as he was yet to experience combat on such a scale, found himself wanting his sister in his place, just for strength and knowledge, as he should before the fantastic divide between the mortal realm and their dominions.

The planning was over, and now the waiting began as Ananke brought their enemy towards the first and most sacred of realms.

For two days, Artemis watched all their planning and reported to the Terrans and his Queen the happenings out in space. He was kept in constant contact with the Neptunian commanders, since Neptune and Uranus moved and successfully cut off the Accursed One's rear flanks. He watched as their foe was driven forward by an aggressive frontal assault by the Jovan armada. The attacks had reduced the Accursed One's forces significantly, but it was not drastic. Eros was not concerned about this; she had been counting on it. The sheer number of soldiers, fallen warriors, and drones ensured that the overwhelming size of the Accursed One's army would impede its maneuverability, thus leaving them open to any and all of the smaller fleets' attacks. The constant attacks were doing what Eros and her admirals wanted and everything was going according to plan, but Eros was a realist in the bleakest sense of the word. Artemis knew that she would not rest, none of the Senshi would, until their enemy had been completely obliterated.

Chaos had come to Saturn and death was welcoming her with open arms..

II

Slipping through the Gates of Time, Dirae stepped onto Pluto's frozen surface, ready to begin Phase Two of the Alliance's counterattack against Chaos: The destruction of Nemesis.



Eros gave Dirae the go ahead to begin once Apollo had moved to the Outer Gates.

Dirae would have preferred to have Persephone or even Nike there in case of a possible backlash if the planets rejected her, but Eros had faith in young warrior; thus, Dirae resolved to believe in him as well. Apollo would have to be stronger than Atlanata to keep the realms together while Queen Serenity and King Ares wrestled the planets into submission.

Dirae was not expecting it come to that. But then, she also believed that she could accomplish the impossible. As the daughter of Ananke in both her life times, Dirae felt that she not only had she reached her mother in strength and knowledge, but that she had surpassed her mother. After taking several deep breaths as she prepared herself for the physical and mental battle she knew that she was about to endure, Dirae opened her brunt raisin coloured eyes and focused on Nemesis. She extended her hands out toward the moon, and stilled its revolution. Time began once more, moving in reverse, moving faster as Nemesis started coming apart under Dirae's cautious fingers.

At first Pluto fought against Dirae, the planet did not want to lose one of its children. It threatened to destroy them all to save its moon. Dirae was sent to her knees as System lurched painfully in her chest.

Who was she to try to undo what only their father had done?

She was no one, only a pitiful mortal who though she could equal the Gods. They would show her her place. They would not allow her to ruin his grand work.

The sudden weight of the Solar System falling upon her took Dirae down. The burning heat of the Sun scalded her back, the freezing cold of Mercury and the acidic atmosphere of Venus boiled her guts as Mars choked her with its heavy dust. The powerful winds of Jupiter pinned her to ground and Saturn's oppressive forces made her want to surrender to her fate. Uranus and Neptune slammed into her, driving her further into the icy surface of Pluto.

She could not stand against them. They forced her to forget her cruel endeavor; they would humble her and make her beg for forgiveness, for how dare she attempt to undo what was theirs.

Nemesis should not be held responsible for the actions taken by the humans who had lived there. Humans were the foul abominations that should have been destroyed.



No, she would not allow this. Her master wanted this, it was not for them to question or accept, and they all had to obey.

Her master meant nothing to them.

Her master was theirs.

Their master was gone.

Their master lived.

Helios had left them.

Endymion would not.

Suddenly the weight was gone from her body and mind, leaving her kneeling on the moon's surface.

The system knew this name, it felt right to them. Endymion was their brother, the third creation of their master. Endymion was the master's only child.

If it was their brother's will, they would allow it. They submitted to his will and allowed Dirae to continue her work.

Slowly, Dirae pulled herself up by staff and rested. There was no loss, she assured the System, for she would take Nemesis' place. This she would do freely and as retribution for her mother's crimes.

Time around the small moon continued at its rapid pace as she continued to pull apart its threads. The universe cried for the loss, but it rejoiced as well. Their master had not abandoned them.

From the lookout on Mimas Tower, Athena Diana watched as the Accursed One's forces, led by Ananke, make their way through the Gehenna Forest, five clicks from Titan Castle. Xanthe had cut off the Accursed One's reinforcements and was now moving into position to begin Phase Two of her strike against the Accursed One. The Asteroid Senshi were now on the ground and were awaiting a signal from Xanthe before they were to rush in on Xanthe's tail to grab Hebe and immediately get out of the way. Bellona was in Titan Castle with Leuce. Bellona had assured Athena that they were ready, and Leuce had opened the first Gate into Hades.



It was now on the Phase Three, the battle for Titan Castle.

In a few moments, Athena would join Eros, Nike, and Persephone in the teleportation chamber, and then they would be off to Saturn, but Eros had wanted Athena to monitor Dirae and her status and the planets' response to Dirae. In the first few hours, all the Senshi of the present had felt universe shake and tremble, first in rage and then despair. The Warriors of Silver Millennium nearly faltered when they felt an odd peace settle over their home worlds, yet they knew it had nothing to do with Dirae's willingness to become Pluto's avatar.

Athena had never heard either Nike or Persephone curse anyone like they had cursed Endymion. Oh, there would repercussions for what he had done, there were laws that even the ruler of the universe had to obey and when this was over, Endymion would finally find that even he has boundaries.

This train of thought led to something that had been bothering Athena ever since she came across Emmanuel and Aine Sigrun before the Senshi left Terra. The Senshi of Terra was too much like his father for either Athena or any of her sisters to feel comfortable with the youth. Athena recalled the look of an abashed hate on the young Venusian's face as she shoved Emmanuel away from her, nor did she forget the taunting remark the Terran Prince called after his cousin. Aine Sigrun did not look back, she did not respond, she just walked away from him and almost right into Athena Diana.

Aine Sigrun schooled her features into a calm airy mask, but Athena could see that it was false and the look in her eyes that were flashing from cool misty gray to boiling sulfuric acid as the colour drained from her eyes. When Athena had attempted to console the girl, Aine had waved her off as she tried to assure Athena that nothing was wrong and that her cousin was being his usual insufferable self.


Aine had then smiled and walked away. Self-loathing and guilt, Athena saw the same haunted expression when she had nightmares of how she had betrayed her Princess.

"Remember that this is your last chance, little cousin," Emmanuel called after Aine. "Fail again and you just won't be removed from position, you will be stripped of your status and crystal. But it won't change anything. Time is up, little cousin."

Pure white rays broke through the treetops and gushed from the many fountains in the small clearing, flooding the four young men with a heavenly light that shined though to their very souls, obscuring their forms with a blinding fire of divinity. Slowly, without sensation or a sound, they settled back to the leaf strewn floor, falling to their knees, their spirits awash by the presence of their king.

All round them, beams of light emanated from sun and the fountains that held the spirits of the dead gods of Terra. A rustling began in the first row nearest the pavilion where the four guardians knelt, and then it was like a wave rushing outward. The sound of water filled the air, rising in a pitch like a tidal wave about to hit shore. The former gods began to sing in joy, their voices rumbling and shaking the entire sanctuary.

Endy finally returned to his loyal companions and with him came another. He had come, the Maker of this Universe and the Guardian of Dreams. The lord only a few had glimpsed and who all had marveled about.

He had come at his son's bidding to do only what one of his will could do. He remembered them fondly as the childhood companions of his son, and Endymion's friends through his youth. He knew them in this life as well, but only as an observer and through Endymion's tales. He touched his hand to each of their brows.

And he made them gods.



The old gods continued to sing even as their voices begin to fade into the other. With this blessing, they were now free to return to Nirvana. Their duty was done, and Terra now had new gods to protect her.

From the entrance, Elios and his brothers Endy and Darien looked on as their grandfather made his final blessing over the new Terran gods. They were one step closer to moving towards their proper destiny. The Generals were now the gods of Terra, Baldur was safe and healed and waiting to return to this time. Now they were just waiting to hear from Eros and were waiting for to strike.

For now, they just watched the birth of the new gods and waited.

As her father was made a god and the Universe fought Dirae, Aine Sigrun became a murderer.

Grim-faced and heart closed with cold regard, Aine had obeyed her mad king. She now lay on her knees, retching violent into the brush. Tears that streamed openly down her face were largely ignored by the girl who wished that by some miracle that she would choke on her own breath.

Beside the young Venusian lay her silver sword, blood stained. The once pristine blade that Aine had carried with such pride and honour, her sword, the one bestowed to her by Cosmos herself when Aine was appointed Captain of the Royal Guard of Silver Millennium and Guardian of Silver Millennium's heir was now stained by her charge's blood.

Dry heaves shook the poor girl's body now that her stomach was emptied. Her hands trembled, a sob choked in her throat as her legs failed her and she wept. Her Princess, her precious little cousin, would forever be a heroine in the Golden Kingdom and the lie surrounding her death would make her a legend, giving her the honour that her father and brothers had denied Gigi all her life.



Sailor Moon was dead.